Education Beats Poverty: why Kirkwall Grammar School wants education for all
WHEN free education is a human right, why do nearly 60 million children miss out? 10 pupils from Kirkwall Grammar School (pictured) went to the Global Student Forum (GSF) in Perth Concert Hall on Thursday the 5th of September to find out.
‘GSF taught me that everything changes and with the will power, determination and drive we can together make a difference.’ said Craig McLennan one of the 10 students attending from KGS.
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory (Article 26, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948) but in many countries families have to pay school fees, and even where school is free, the cost of uniforms, books, travel and equipment may be more than families can afford. The impacts of missing out on an education are devastating for the health of individuals and the economic and social development of communities and entire countries. Daniel Groundwater attending from KGS was in awe at finding out the effects of missing out on education. For Daniel, the conference ‘… made me really think about how lucky we are here in Scotland where we take for granted the education presented to us on a gold platter’.
It wasn’t just a fact-finding mission for the students from Kirkwall Grammar School. Along with 300 senior students from 30 schools, they engaged with politicians, development practitioners and campaigners to look at ways to bring about change. Sarah Harcus one of the trip leaders said of the conference ‘ attending GSF has inspired our students to assume a more active role in helping to raise awareness of the world’s biggest issues, one of them being not able to get basic education’.
The students looked at ways in which they can play a vital role in supporting the Millennium Development Goal 2 - Achieving Universal Primary Education for All. They have returned to KGS and Orkney with facts and figures that will enable them to teach other students- as well as to speak out through the media.
Theophilus Ogbhemhe one of the RMPS teachers at KGS who organized the trip had this to say ‘the group from KGS have already discussed what more can be done to make education a right and not a privilege for our friends in developing countries. Since the message is coming from students themselves, it is likely to hit home much harder.’
As to the merits of the conference, Mr. Ogbhemhe had this to say ‘attending a conference of this nature will enable students to critically explore contemporary development issues and their role as global citizens. In doing so we expect changes in their knowledge, attitudes and actions, and hope they are empowered to work towards a more just and sustainable world for everyone’.
Kirkwall Grammar School and the group that attended the conference (10 pupils and 2 members of staff) would like to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to Tesco for the bag-packing opportunity and the cake baking ingredients (for bake sales) from which we raised £1,218.82 for the trip and the campaign for global education (send my friend to school campaign).
‘GSF taught me that everything changes and with the will power, determination and drive we can together make a difference.’ said Craig McLennan one of the 10 students attending from KGS.
Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory (Article 26, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948) but in many countries families have to pay school fees, and even where school is free, the cost of uniforms, books, travel and equipment may be more than families can afford. The impacts of missing out on an education are devastating for the health of individuals and the economic and social development of communities and entire countries. Daniel Groundwater attending from KGS was in awe at finding out the effects of missing out on education. For Daniel, the conference ‘… made me really think about how lucky we are here in Scotland where we take for granted the education presented to us on a gold platter’.
It wasn’t just a fact-finding mission for the students from Kirkwall Grammar School. Along with 300 senior students from 30 schools, they engaged with politicians, development practitioners and campaigners to look at ways to bring about change. Sarah Harcus one of the trip leaders said of the conference ‘ attending GSF has inspired our students to assume a more active role in helping to raise awareness of the world’s biggest issues, one of them being not able to get basic education’.
The students looked at ways in which they can play a vital role in supporting the Millennium Development Goal 2 - Achieving Universal Primary Education for All. They have returned to KGS and Orkney with facts and figures that will enable them to teach other students- as well as to speak out through the media.
Theophilus Ogbhemhe one of the RMPS teachers at KGS who organized the trip had this to say ‘the group from KGS have already discussed what more can be done to make education a right and not a privilege for our friends in developing countries. Since the message is coming from students themselves, it is likely to hit home much harder.’
As to the merits of the conference, Mr. Ogbhemhe had this to say ‘attending a conference of this nature will enable students to critically explore contemporary development issues and their role as global citizens. In doing so we expect changes in their knowledge, attitudes and actions, and hope they are empowered to work towards a more just and sustainable world for everyone’.
Kirkwall Grammar School and the group that attended the conference (10 pupils and 2 members of staff) would like to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to Tesco for the bag-packing opportunity and the cake baking ingredients (for bake sales) from which we raised £1,218.82 for the trip and the campaign for global education (send my friend to school campaign).